


Unnoticed

by obs3ss1ons



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Secret Relationship, Team Dynamics, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 07:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20131246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obs3ss1ons/pseuds/obs3ss1ons
Summary: The team finds out why they weren't invited to Vic's wedding.





	Unnoticed

**Author's Note:**

> Well this idea came out of nowhere, so hopefully it means I'm back at it.
> 
> I have decided to ignore everything canon after the proposal. No sick or dead Ripley in my mind.

Vic walked into the station barely able to keep a smile off her face. She made it to her locker. Then just as she put her purse inside, Travis bounced up beside her. “Are you wearing it?”

She silently held up her left hand. A plain gold band shimmered on her ring finger. Her excitement could no longer be contained. She grinned as wide as her lips could stretch. It was still unreal that they’d done it. She and Lucas had gotten married over the weekend. And spent the day after celebrating in the hotel suit Travis and Jennifer had surprised them with.

“Are you going to tell them, or see if they notice?” Travis asked as they headed toward the beanery.

Vic replied, “I’m not going to say anything. We kept the whole relationship secret for months. It might be fun to see how much longer we can keep it up.”

Travis snickered. “You won’t make it a day with the way you’re acting. Marriage suits you.”

“And you were worried it didn’t mean anything to me,” Vic reminded him as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

Sullivan came out of the office and greeted them with a nod and a small smirk. “Montgomery. Mrs. Ripley.”

Vic felt her cheeks warm. “Captain. Thanks for your help this weekend.”

“You’re welcome. Glad I could be there,” he responded. They entered the beanery and stopped talking about it. The rest of the team was already there, either getting breakfast or eating. Vic sent a warning look to both Travis and Sullivan.

The three new arrivals chose their own breakfasts and joined their team. Vic was still too overly excited to eat much without throwing it back up. Even after all of the activity she’d done the day before with her new husband. She picked at the muffin she’d grabbed, eating a nibble at a time and hoping nobody noticed.

She managed to eat half of it before Maya shouted, “Victoria Hughes, what is that on your hand?”

And there went her appetite, replaced by nervous butterflies. Looked like Travis and Lucas were right. Her ring didn’t let her get away with it even until the official start of shift. She tried and failed to act nonchalant as she replied, “It’s a ring. Like a lot of people wear.”

“On your left ring finger?” Jack pointed out with an eyebrow raised.

Dean commented, “That looks like a wedding ring to me.”

Andy stood and moved to Vic’s side. “Let me see it.” Vic held her hand up, and Andy added, “That is definitely a wedding ring.”

“I didn’t even know you were seeing anybody,” Ben admitted.

“Me either,” Maya chimed in.

“Who is it?” Dean asked in his big brotherly tone.

Travis coughed into his coffee. Vic glanced at him and then Sullivan. The captain continued to eat with a blank expression. He was way too good at keeping secrets, as she found out two days ago.

She and Lucas had decided he would turn their marriage certificate into HR that morning before they went public. Since she wasn’t sure if he’d done it yet, she delayed answering by explaining, “We’ve been together for six months but fell in love almost immediately. So we got married two days ago.”

“And you didn’t invite us?” Andy questioned.

Vic shrugged. She met Travis’s gaze, who gave her an encouraging silent message. She stood up, faced the table, and defended, “Only three people were there. His sister at his side, Travis at mine, and Captain.”

Maya asked, “Why was Sullivan there, but we weren’t? We’re your family.”

She sounded hurt, but Vic felt some satisfaction at that. She continued, “Captain Sullivan is apparently ordained and did the ceremony for us. I didn’t invite anyone but Travis because he’s the only one who knows anything about the relationship. None of you even bothered to ask why I wasn’t hanging out as much after shift. Or, as it was pointed out to me, that I’ve been happier.”

“I thought you were just spending time with Travis since he broke up with Grant,” Andy confessed.

Vic huffed, “See, that’s what I mean. Everyone knew when they started dating. You all knew when they broke up. And yet none of you so much as thought to make sure I was okay. I can’t keep a secret to save my life, except my relationship.”

“And you weren’t exactly subtle with it,” Travis interjected.

She glanced his way before returning to the others. “I love you guys. I really do. You’re my team, my friends, my family. But while the last six months has been the happiest of my life, it’s also been the loneliest. So no, I didn’t invite you to my wedding. I didn’t want to share the best part of my relationship with people who don’t seem to care enough to even notice it existed.”

Jack slowly raised his hand and said, “To be fair, I dealt with PTSD for most of that time. I didn’t notice anyone.”

Vic sniffled. “I know. You also knew about it. I just didn’t want to make you keep the wedding a secret from Maya.”

“Thanks for that,” he replied, then added, “I think.”

She managed a short laugh. Dean stood and walked up to her. He looked into her eyes and told her, “I’m sorry, Vic.”

Then he hugged her. Briefly, but he hugged her. He returned to his seat as everyone else murmured their apologies. Vic wiped at her tears and responded, “Thank you. All of you.”

Ben asked quietly, “So are you going to tell us who you married?”

“Yeah, as your family, we need to meet him,” Andy stated.

Sullivan’s façade broke at that, and he covered up a burst of laughter with the sounds of choking. He avoided Vic’s gaze as he calmed himself down. She watched him until he was quiet, and then she said, “Actually–”

“Chief!” Travis suddenly exclaimed, his eyes wide and focused over Vic’s shoulder. Vic spun around, unable to keep her smile from returning at the sight of her husband. He wore his daily uniform because he left for work at the same time she had. He also had a bigger grin on his face than he had that morning.

Stopping in front of her, he flicked his gaze over her shoulder and stated, “Montgomery, 19 crew.”

Sullivan’s voice came from directly behind Vic’s other shoulder. “Work or social?”

“Both,” Lucas replied while staring into Vic’s eyes. He held an arm out beside her, and she looked down in time to see Sullivan take a piece of paper from him.

She focused back on her husband and asked, “Approval?”

He nodded as he placed his hands on her hips. “Full approval with only a two-week suspension for not disclosing sooner.”

She frowned but then caught his meaning. “Two weeks for both of us?”

“Beginning immediately.”

Vic threw her arms around his neck and attacked his lips with her own. He chuckled against her mouth and staggered a couple steps backwards. Behind her, Vic heard a series of gasps and one very enthusiastic, “Yes!”

Sullivan cleared his throat and said, “Would you finish your announcement so those of us not going on our honeymoon can get to work?”

Lucas released Vic. She gave him one last peck before grabbing his hand and turning around. Her team watched them with a mixture of expressions. Travis pretty much vibrated in his chair. Jack seemed to approve. Maya kept moving her eyes between Vic and Lucas. Ben looked confused. Dean appeared to be trying not to shift into his big brother role. Andy was clearly in shock.

Vic told them, “Meet my husband, Lucas.”

“Otherwise known as Chief Ripley,” Travis added with a flourish.

“You mean our boss,” Dean grumbled.

Sullivan responded to all of it with, “Yes.”

“How?” Maya asked.

Vic replied, “We talked after one of the support groups the department holds, and it exploded from there.”

“I can see it,” Ben declared casually.

Lucas squeezed Vic’s hand and spoke to the group. “This changes nothing with how I run the department or this station. I’m still the boss.”

“Even for Vic?” Jack inquired.

Sullivan read from the paper, “All disciplinary and promotional decisions regarding Mrs. Ripley will be made by the Assistant Fire Chief. If on scene, the decision to keep or hand off command is to be made by Chief Ripley once Mrs. Ripley takes on an active role.”

“This is all so confusing,” Maya claimed, shaking her head.

Vic shrugged. “Like I said, if any of you paid attention, you would’ve noticed what was going on.”

“They really were not subtle,” Travis added helpfully.

Dean clasped his hands together as he asked, “This is for real?”

“One hundred percent,” Vic assured him.

Lucas let go of her hand and looped his arm around her waist. “I know it seems sudden.”

“That’s an understatement,” Maya mumbled.

“But we both agreed to everything that happened since that first day,” Lucas finished.

“Whose idea was it to get married?” Dean questioned.

“Both, actually,” Vic answered. “He brought up the idea.”

Lucas tacked on, “And she proposed.”

“And Sullivan officiated,” Travis piped up, earning him a warning look from the captain.

“Does this mean you’ll be joining the team parties now?” Jack suggested.

Ben commented, “Miranda goes to the gatherings the doctors host. She’s their friend as well as their boss.”

Lucas went off of that and said, “I’d like to get to know you as Vic’s family, but I won’t force it. Just know that you’re always welcome in our home whether I’m there or not.”

“Will it not be weird for you?” came from Maya.

“I’m already married to a subordinate – sorry, Eggy, but it’s true – so it’s something I can get used to,” Lucas responded.

Vic stated, “I’m still a part of this team and this family. Just married now. Outside of work, that’s the way I want you to see this. If you can at least try.”

Jack replied, “You already know how I feel about it all. Rings and a name don’t change the situation.”

Maya glanced at her boyfriend before saying, “I think I can give it a shot. It’s weird, but I’ll try.”

Ben shrugged. “I kind of have to be okay with it.”

Dean sighed and told them, “I can be okay with it as long as Vic is happy.”

“Duly noted,” Lucas accepted.

Vic smiled at her team until she landed on the one who had yet to speak. “Andy?”

The lieutenant lifted her shoulders and said, “I’m not sure what to think.”

Sullivan used his authoritative voice to announce, “Well, now that we have that out of the way, some of us have work to do. Everybody not suspended needs to meet me for lineup in sixty seconds.”

The room erupted with the sound of the team scrambling around. Travis took the time to give Vic a hug. “I’m so happy for you. For both of you.”

“Thank you,” Lucas told him, shaking his hand. “Are you still coming for dinner tomorrow night?”

“Hell, no,” Travis responded. He pointed between them. “You two are on your honeymoon. You won’t be seeing me for the next two weeks.”

They both laughed and shared a knowing smile. Sullivan walked up and shook their hands as well. “Congratulations. Though I don’t think you’re supposed to, I hope you enjoy the time off.”

“We definitely will,” Lucas answered, tightening his hold on her waist.

Sullivan leveled his gaze at him. “I don’t want to hear the details, Rip. I have to work with this one.”

Vic felt her face grow hot. Lucas just laughed again. “I’ll withhold the details. Besides, I don’t think you’ll have to listen to me complain this time around.”

“Except when you get tired of her ordering you around,” Sullivan argued. This time Vic laughed. Lucas tugged on her side. She told her captain goodbye and let Lucas lead her to the locker room. After grabbing her things, they went outside.

Vic stopped in the parking lot. “Are you driving the SUV home?”

His face gained a reddish tint, and he offered a childish grin. “I sort of can’t drive it for the next two weeks.”

She bit her lip to keep from full on smiling at his admission. “So you’re carless.”

“I am.”

“Well, then I guess we don’t need to wait until we get home to start our honeymoon,” she stated quietly, running a finger along the collar of his shirt.

Lucas shook his head. “You are Trouble with a capital T, Mrs. Ripley.”

She leaned forward to whisper in his ear, “That’s why you love me, Mr. Ripley.”

He grabbed her hand and yanked her in the direction of her Jeep. She threw her head back in laughter as she followed him across the parking lot. She unlocked it, and they climbed in on the same side. They definitely did not wait to start their honeymoon at home.


End file.
